1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scanning endoscope that detects and images return light of illuminating light irradiating an object while scanning an illumination fiber.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electronic endoscope is known that photoelectrically converts an object image by means of an image pickup apparatus having a solid-state image pickup device such as a CCD or a CMOS, and displays an image of the object on a monitor. Further, an optical scanning endoscope apparatus is known as an apparatus that displays an image of an object without using the technology of a solid-state image pickup device. An optical scanning endoscope picks up an image of an observation target region by continuously receiving reflected light while scanning light that is irradiating a minute point on the observation target region.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2008-165236, an endoscope and an optical fiber system are described which include a scanning optical fiber having an optical fiber that has a core that transmits an illuminating light and at least one cladding that covers the core and transmits reflected light from an object, and at least one photo sensor that detects reflected light.